NICOLA Sturgeon has slammed Douglas Ross as “immature in the face of a deadly virus”.

After her weekly Covid statement, the Scottish Tory leader asked the First Minister if her government is considering closing businesses over the winter months. 

It came after the FM announced that the Government is looking into whether to extend the vaccine passport system to include indoor cinemas, theatres and "other hospitality venues". She said a final decision would be made next week.

Sturgeon accused Ross of opposing any policy the Scottish Government puts forward on Covid, regardless of how effective it is.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: Vaccine passports could be needed at cinemas, theatres and more

Speaking after the First Minister delivered her Covid update, Ross said: "Today the public were expecting a statement that delivered clear decisions. 

"Instead we are being told once more to wait until next week. The Government has delayed again creating wholly avoidable uncertainty.

"Businesses are once again being left in the dark and treated as an afterthought.

"They might have less than two weeks to adapt to changes to the passport scheme at one of the busiest times of the year for the hospitality industry."

He said a delay in the decision to extend vaccine passports is a "total lack of respect on Scottish businesses" as he accused the SNP of forcing firms to shoulder the burden of the vaccine passport scheme.

He continued: "The Deputy First Minister said last Tuesday this government would discuss options with businesses over the course of this week so can the First Minister give a clear answer and tell us the outcome of those discussions over the last week. The Government must know-how might be impacted."

Ross asked Sturgeon which hospitality venues will have to prepare for vaccine passports.

He then asked if the Government is considering closing Scottish businesses over the winter months.

Sturgeon replied: "It pains me to say this but the immaturity and irresponsibility of Douglas Ross in the face of a virus continue to be utterly breathtaking.

"I know he's had other things on his mind in recent days but is he oblivious to what is currently happening across Europe where this virus is on the rise again and governments everywhere are having to grapple with the most difficult decisions?

"We are seeking to do that in a responsible way. That's what we have done throughout and that is what we will continue to do that throughout the period ahead."

She continued: "One of the things I've learned in recent weeks is that whatever we decide to do Douglas Ross will probably oppose it, so when we introduce a vaccination programme for teenagers that wasn't principally school-based that was criticised but then it turns out we managed to vaccinate those younger teenagers quicker than any other part of the UK.

"Across every single dose of this vaccine right now Scotland is the most vaccinated part of the UK.

She urged the Scottish Tory leader to "once in a while find it within himself to thank those who are working so hard across the country to make sure people are vaccinated".

On the issue of the Covid vaccine passports, she said: "It is simply not adoption right now for any government across Europe or much of the world to do nothing in the face of this virus.

"The easiest thing to do of course is to oppose everything that governments decide to do to keep people safe.

READ MORE: 'He's a charmer': Nicola Sturgeon reacts to muttered comment from Douglas Ross

"Douglas Ross bemoans the fact that Cabinet hasn't taken a final decision yet. If I had stood up here today and said we had taken a final decision to expand the certification scheme he would have criticised that of course and said that we were acting too quickly, that we weren't taking account of the up to date data.

"We have decided to consider this carefully, to take account of the up to date data and reach a decision next week.

"In the meantime, we will publish an evidence paper and we will consult with businesses on the practicalities and the pros and cons."

She added: "The easiest thing in the world right now as Douglas Ross has found out is to oppose everything but when you have a duty as the government does to try to keep people safe then the decisions are harder than that and we will try to take them with an intense degree of responsibility."